Will the Future Have A Church?

Once, a friend was traveling on a subway in New York City. As she did, she noticed a fellow passenger staring at her, specifically at the cross hanging around her neck. 

        “Can I help you?” She asked after a moment.

        “Why yes,” the passenger replied. “I was just admiring your

         necklace. But for the life of me, I can’t figure out what it is!

        “Why, it’s a cross!” my friend said, surprised.

        “Pardon me for asking,” the woman replied, “But what’s a

         cross?”

Now, on first glance, we find that story far-fetched. But it’s not, for we no longer live in a Christian world, but a post-Christian one—one that no longer identifies with Christian images, words, or culture.

One obvious example is the absence of Blue Laws. Does anyone remember Blue Laws—regulations that prohibited certain activities on Sundays so as not to compete with worship and Sabbath rest? Why, in Hagerstown, MD, when I grew up, nothing was open on Sundays, and no sporting activities ever occurred. But today, everything is open, and sporting practices and games abound!

Now, such change is not necessarily “bad,” but it is a wake-up call reminding us that the church no longer receives preferential treatment in culture. In fact, the church is sidelined. Thus, as we envision ministry, we must remember: people will no longer come to us; we must go to the people.

In other words, we must become missional, viewing our own backyard as a mission field filled with disinterested, irreligious people. In sum, we must revive what the Brethren once called “home mission,” reaching not only the “…ends of the earth…” but also “…Jerusalem, and…Judea and Samaria…” (Acts 1:8). 

Turn Inside Out, Radiating The Passion Of Jesus

For starters, turn inside out, radiating the passion of Jesus. The best textbook for envisioning ministry is the book of Acts. In Acts, the early church models an outreach alive and vibrant, turning inside out for Jesus. 

My favorite Acts story is Paul and Silas in Thessalonica (Acts 17). Paul and Silas hold a revival meeting, challenging all “…that Jesus is the Anointed One, the Messiah!” (Acts 17:3). And some Jews believed, “…along with quite a few prominent women and a large number of Greeks” (Acts 17:4), Luke tells us. "But the Jews became jealous, and with the help of some ruffians in the marketplaces they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar...[dragging Paul and Silas' friend Jason, and members of his house church]...before the city authorities, shouting, “These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also...They are all acting contrary to the decrees of the emperor, saying that there is another king named Jesus.” (Acts 17:5-7)

Wow! Talk about vibrant, faithful ministry! Paul and Silas model holy boldness, going beyond conventional outreach to the Jews, toward community outreach to the Greeks. Paul and Silas are clear:  Jesus’ mission is not tame, but a risky, ‘turning the world upside down.’ 

And so a question: are we ‘turning the world upside down’? Mission is not launched, tamely. Mission is launched, boldly, as we ‘raise our sights,’ passionately, announcing, there is no other king than Jesus!

Jesus’ Kingship is crucial. For we’ll never do faithful mission, unless we’re convicted that Jesus is Lord, the source of all conviction, the Anointed One, the Messiah, who in turn, anoints us. Frankly, it’s that conviction that fuels and energizes our outreach.

If ever there was one on a mission, it was Martin Luther King. But King’s mission almost died early when a deranged woman plunged a letter opener into his chest, early in his career. Rushed to a Harlem hospital, doctors carefully removed the object, but needed to make an incision that cut across the wound. The result? A permanent scar on King’s chest, in the shape of a cross. Reflecting later, Andy Young, a King confidant, revealed that King looked at that scar every morning, as it reminded him of the passion behind the passion: Jesus. Martin Luther King’s dream wasn’t his dream at all, but the dream of Jesus.  And so, is Christ etched into our life? Faithful mission never comes alive unless our passion is the passion of Jesus!

Be Open To New Methods  

But as you turn outward, have you noticed that we live in an Amazon-driven world, delivering messages and products in innovative ways, even by drone? Yet many churches still deliver the gospel using the “same old, same old.”

Now, please don’t misunderstand, there's nothing inherently wrong with the ‘same old, same old.’  But sometimes, we keep familiar traditions not because they’re effective, but because they’re familiar, and the familiar requires less energy than a new venture. But we can do better! We can take new risks, at any age, expending new energy, empowered by Jesus. Peter is spot-on in Acts 2:17: “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” (Acts 2:17). New dreams for new methods are especially needed.

Tod Bolinger tells of Lewis and Clark’s quest to reach the far West. On first blush, their conventional methods appeared adequate. Hit the Continental Divide, find a river, and then paddle to the Pacific. But the ‘same old, same old’ was not enough, for instead of encountering a river, Lewis and Clark encountered the Rocky Mountains! And so, they had a choice. To adapt to unexpected terrain or paddle harder! Thank goodness, Lewis and Clark flexed their method; the U.S. would be vastly different if they had not adapted. 

But often, we don’t adapt; rather than flexing our methods, we just paddle harder! And so, yes, turn inside out with boldness, in Christ, but be open to new methods. A resource I often commend is the ‘Growing Young’ materials from Fuller Seminary. But whatever you utilize, turn outward, be in mission, in some unconventional way. 

Move Prayerfully, But Urgently

But as you do -- move prayerfully, but urgently, for a battle rages for humanity’s soul, as mega forces other than God, strive to capture human life. Just look at the rise of violence, and how violence dupes us into believing it can solve human dilemmas. But violence is never a solution. Only reconciliation through Christ is the solution. But we get complacent, thinking we have all the time in the world to convey that message. 

In C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters, there’s a classic scene where Satan and three of his demons discuss how to win the hearts of humanity. A first demon pipes up: "I've got it! Let's tell people there is no God!"  ‘That won’t work, Satan replied.  Then a second demon volunteers:  I know, we’ll tell people there is no heaven, no hell."  ‘That won’t work,’ Satan replied.  And with that, a third demon leaped to his feet:  "I have it!" he shouted. "We won’t say there’s no God -- we won’t say there’s no heaven, no hell. We'll just say, there’s no hurry." And with that, Satan’s beamed:  ah, the perfect lie to capture the hearts of humanity.

The first missional church, the early church, didn’t believe that lie. They exhibited a phenomenal urgency in outreach, fueled by a Jesus who reminded them that the stakes were high. Jesus’ admonition in Acts 26, first spoken to Paul on the Road to Damascus, is especially striking: “Up on your feet…” Christ remarks. “I’m sending you off to open the eyes of [the world], so they can see the difference between dark and light, and choose light…I’m sending you off to present my offer of…a place in the family, inviting them into the company of those who [really live] by believing in me.” (Acts 26:17-18, The Message). 

Notice that being a missionary for Jesus is not just a matter of proclamation, but also invitation. Specifically, an invitation to know Christ and the Body of Christ. Irreligious people are best convinced of Christ when they're in the company of others seeking to know Christ and His other way of living. 

And so, I offer a challenge: adopt a new resolve to reach people for the Savior and his other way of life. For there is a battle raging for the soul of humanity. And so, this is not a time for complacency, excuses, or rationalization. This is a time for urgency! This is a time to get up on our feet and point people to Jesus! 

One of my favorite stories concerns the time the kids and I got lost in Puerto Rico – way out in the countryside. We literally didn’t know where to go. And so, I did what any responsible Dad would do. I sent my 12-year-old son, Peter, into an unknown restaurant to get directions! After all, he knew 7th-grade Spanish! In short order, Peter got flustered, and for good reason. The folks in the restaurant were fluent in ‘mile a minute’ Spanish, and the restaurant really wasn’t a restaurant- it was a bar.  Racing back to the car, Peter was frantic. 

“Did you get directions?” I asked 

“Not really,” he said. “But some guy did try to help.  I mean I didn’t get everything he said, but boy

         was he animated! “Señor,” he motioned: “Señor: go this way -- not -- that way!”

We might not be the most fluent folk, but we can motion: go this way -- not -- that way. In this disoriented, irreligious world, we can redirect people to Jesus and His other way of living. For a battle is waging for the soul of humanity. 

Thus, in this violent age, missionaries of reconciliation are urgently needed, dreaming new dreams and seeing new visions that point people to Jesus. Don’t believe the lie that there is no hurry. Rather, claim the truth, there’s a new urgency to reach people for the Savior and His other way of life! Up on your feet, church! 

Turn the world upside down, church! Not only in Nigeria, Spain, and the Dominican Republic, but in every corner of your home mission field, as well. For Jesus is the Anointed One, the Messiah.  Our deepest conviction, our deepest passion. 

For there is no other Savior, no other Lord, no other King -- but Him!